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Johannesburg - The bilateral negotiations between the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of SA (Seifsa) and the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) negotiating teams over the past couple of days, aimed at exploring possible options to bring the current metal industry wage dispute and strike to an end, were unsuccessful.
David Carson, Seifsa's executive director, said that "the differences between the two parties at this stage is substantial and it appears unlikely that an early resolution to the strike is possible."
He said that the employer negotiating team would report back to the main employer group at a meeting on Wednesday afternoon and that it was possible that a further negotiating meeting would be convened shortly thereafter.
The strike began on July 4 when Numsa announced that its members would embark on rolling mass action in demand of a 13% salary increase.
Employers in the sector had offered 7%.
Meanwhile, unions involved in key sector strikes countrywide will step up their action on Tuesday, with mass marches planned for Durban and Johannesburg.
Congress of SA Trade Unions General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi is expected to lead a Numsa march in Durban from 9:00.
Thousands of workers in the engineering sector were expected to gather at the King Dinizulu statue, opposite Durban Christian Centre.
Workers would then hand over a memorandum to Seifsa at the Durban City Hall.
The strike in the engineering industry - which began last week - is being led by Numsa, the Metal and Electrical Workers' Union (Mewusa), and the SA Equity Workers' Association (Saewa).
About 70 000 fuel and other workers joined them on Monday, pushing for a minimum salary of R6 000 per month and a 40-hour work week.
This strike could see supplies of medicine and petrol interrupted.
Those involved in the second strike are expected to gather at 10:00 in Johannesburg to march to the Chamber of Mines in the city centre.
Unions involved in the Johannesburg march included the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood, and Allied Workers' Union (Ceppwawu), the General Industries Workers' Union of SA (Giwusa) and the South African Chemical Workers' Union (Sacwu).
Metro police said traffic would be diverted in the CBD. The march was expected to start at the Workers' Library in Newtown and proceed down Miriam Makeba, Market, Simmonds and Marshall and Holland streets.
Last week, violence during the strike resulted in one death and six injuries.
David Carson, Seifsa's executive director, said that "the differences between the two parties at this stage is substantial and it appears unlikely that an early resolution to the strike is possible."
He said that the employer negotiating team would report back to the main employer group at a meeting on Wednesday afternoon and that it was possible that a further negotiating meeting would be convened shortly thereafter.
The strike began on July 4 when Numsa announced that its members would embark on rolling mass action in demand of a 13% salary increase.
Employers in the sector had offered 7%.
Meanwhile, unions involved in key sector strikes countrywide will step up their action on Tuesday, with mass marches planned for Durban and Johannesburg.
Congress of SA Trade Unions General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi is expected to lead a Numsa march in Durban from 9:00.
Thousands of workers in the engineering sector were expected to gather at the King Dinizulu statue, opposite Durban Christian Centre.
Workers would then hand over a memorandum to Seifsa at the Durban City Hall.
The strike in the engineering industry - which began last week - is being led by Numsa, the Metal and Electrical Workers' Union (Mewusa), and the SA Equity Workers' Association (Saewa).
About 70 000 fuel and other workers joined them on Monday, pushing for a minimum salary of R6 000 per month and a 40-hour work week.
This strike could see supplies of medicine and petrol interrupted.
Those involved in the second strike are expected to gather at 10:00 in Johannesburg to march to the Chamber of Mines in the city centre.
Unions involved in the Johannesburg march included the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood, and Allied Workers' Union (Ceppwawu), the General Industries Workers' Union of SA (Giwusa) and the South African Chemical Workers' Union (Sacwu).
Metro police said traffic would be diverted in the CBD. The march was expected to start at the Workers' Library in Newtown and proceed down Miriam Makeba, Market, Simmonds and Marshall and Holland streets.
Last week, violence during the strike resulted in one death and six injuries.
